Chapter 3

Liuyu changed into one of the everyday clothes brought by the mountain spirit.

In Xian Du Yu Jing, the popular fashion is voluminous robes with wide sashes, using light and elegant colors such as moon white, peach pink, and water green, which evoke a celestial grace.

On the other hand, Jiuyou—this might sound harsh but is true—has an ostentatious style akin to newly rich people flaunting their wealth.

Behind the screen, a maid was adorning Liuyu with a jade pendant at her waist.

A piece of jade inlaid with agate beads and turquoise weighed down the hem of her sparrow-blue, gold-embroidered robe, the gold thread glistening in the sunlight, enhancing the lush and enigmatic beauty of the peony pattern.

What a surreal world, Liuyu thought as she looked at her reflection in the bronze mirror.

For a fleeting moment, it felt as if the sea of blood and her ten years of revenge had turned into a hazy, insubstantial dream.

Upon waking, she was still the lady of the Yinshan clan, shielded by her powerful family, free to act on her whims.

But, a voice within her was clear—

How could that be?

The downfall of a great house is not accomplished in a day; the catastrophe that destroyed the Yinshan clan did not start in the century that followed.

With her mother Nangong Jing’s prowess, even with her and her father Yinshan Ze dead, the vast clan would have capable descendants to uphold the Yinshan name.

It wouldn’t crumble overnight without even the chance to relocate; the complete destruction was unimaginable.

The hidden dangers must have been sown much earlier.

But the elders had always urged her to focus on her cultivation, detached from worldly affairs. Liuyu spent most of her time either cultivating at the Lingyong Academy or socializing with other noble families of Dachao, leaving her in the dark about the internal troubles of the Yinshan clan.

Fortunately, she at least knew of the Jiufang family.

Jiufang Zhanghua, who personally killed her parents, and the head of the Jiufang clan, who hunted her for ten years—

These matters could not be explained through a communication array.

She had to return to Xian Du Yu Jing as soon as possible.

Shifting her gaze slightly, Liuyu saw the maids around her casting her ghostly looks in the bronze mirror.

“Does it not look good?” she asked.

The maids exchanged glances, not daring to comment.

Only the maid who had earlier stopped Shanxiao outside spoke up:

“It looks good, but miss… if those in Xian Du Yu Jing see you dressed like this, even if you return there someday, they will certainly ridicule you…”

Liuyu glanced at the black lacquer box with butterfly patterns brought by the maid.

“Can sparrows comprehend the ambitions of swans?” she said.

The young lady opened the box’s lock and selected a jade hairpin from the collection, twirling it skillfully in her fingers.

“To make them shut up, it won’t be about a few pieces of clothing. It will depend on how I return to Xian Du Yu Jing.”

The maid holding the box suddenly looked up, meeting Liuyu’s smiling gaze.

“Earlier outside, you said, ‘Do all people of Jiuyou lack manners?’ Was that you?” Liuyu asked.

The maid lowered her gaze further, replying, “Yes.”

“You look unfamiliar. Are you one of the five maids father arranged before I left?”

“Yes, my name is Luzhu.”

Luzhu paused, then added:

“Miss has been secluded and may not know that these uncouth and ignorant monsters in Jiuyou, particularly at the night banquet, spoke insolently. They said… the former lord of Wuse City, who once ruled over them, couldn’t have imagined that one day his precious daughter would sleep in the same bed as his slaves…”

There was the sound of a blade being drawn from the direction of the window lattice.

The black-robed girl crouched by the window pushed her thumb against her sword, her dark eyes gleaming:

“Name, cut out.”

Liuyu pushed Chao Yuan’s sword back into its sheath.

“Not necessary.”

Chao Ming, examining Liuyu’s expression, asked oddly, “Miss, are you really not angry?”

Having seen much of human nature after the fall of the Yinshan clan in her previous life, she knew that these monsters, once oppressed in Wuse City, would naturally take out their frustrations on her, the city lord’s daughter, now that they had the upper hand.

“Why be angry at human nature?” Liuyu said, glancing at the maid holding the box, a deep smile on her face. “As she said, they lack manners, right?”

Monsters are born with chains as sinners.

After the Night of Zhaoye, they fled, sought survival, and eventually ended up in Wuse City as playthings for the nobles.

Even if they wanted manners, who would teach them?

Lost in thought, Liuyu’s eyes turned distant.

Meanwhile, Shanxiao, who had stopped a step away from the inner chamber, had overheard only the last part of the conversation, missing the earlier remarks. He heard Liuyu say “lacks manners.”

A monster behind him whispered:

“Why have you stopped? Shanxiao, the lord asked you to apologize to the young lady.”

Another one chuckled lowly: “Swallowed your pride, have you?”

“Not that I am saying,” scoffed the fiery-haired monster, crossing his arms. “What if he really clashed with the people from Xian Du Yu Jing? This is Jiuyou, after all. Why raise others’ spirits? The Yumi Spider faction is growing bolder in the shadows, and the lord continues to elevate this Yinshan Liuyu. Isn’t that too…”

Shanxiao turned and stared at him. “Too what?”

Hearing that Shanxiao almost fought with the people from Xian Du Yu Jing outside, the Twelve Nuo Gods, who usually led various factions, had gathered.

The Twelve Nuo Gods were the twelve powerful beings who followed Mo Lin out of the Wuse City inferno.

After Jiuyou’s establishment, Shanxiao and these twelve formed Mo Lin’s direct unit, jointly leading the myriad monsters under the Monster Lord.

Unlike the Dachao humans who valued lineage, these monsters, born slaves, only cared about strength.

They submitted to Mo Lin because he was the strongest, the only one who could control both ghost energy and monster energy.

If one day he is no longer the admired and revered leader of the demon spirits but instead becomes a lackey of Xian Du Yu Jing…

The red-haired demon spirit fell silent, meeting Shan Xiu’s gaze with deep eyes.

After a long silence, Shan Xiu retracted the step he had taken toward the inner chamber.

The wind blew, causing the flowers to rustle.

Pale pink mountain cherry blossoms fell from the branches, creating ripples in the red lacquered ear cup, only to transform into a green leaf in the blink of an eye.

The flowers created by illusions in Jiu You instantly revert to their original form upon being touched.

Holding the wine cup, Mo Lin lowered his eyes to look at the green leaf, his mind still immersed in the scenes from the inner chamber earlier.

The phrase “became the husband of Yinshan Liuyu.”

When the young woman said this, her fine brows raised slightly, the corners of her eyes held a smile, and her eyes sparkled like black onyx—unbelievably beautiful.

He had seen such an expression on her face many times.

But never once had it been directed at him.

Coming back to his senses, Mo Lin propped his head with his hand and looked up at the returning Shan Xiu and his group.

That one glance, cold and indifferent, seemed to see through people’s hearts.

He was waiting for their explanation.

“… Master.”

Under the oppressive gaze, Shan Xiu bit his lip.

“Master, must I apologize? Today’s conflict with the people of Xian Du Yu Jing was because I could not bear to see you enduring such humiliation. Yinshan Liuyu behaves so arrogantly even here in Jiu You, which shows her deep-seated disdain for both Jiu You and you! If it weren’t for Jiu You’s need for recuperation and the necessity to negotiate with Da Chao, she would never—”

“Knowing you must endure it, yet being unable to do so— is it because she is arrogant, or is it because she is Yinshan Liuyu, the daughter of Yinshan Ze?”

Mo Lin’s pointed question pierced through Shan Xiu’s thoughts.

Shan Xiu fell silent.

His hatred for Yinshan Liuyu was partly due to her, but mostly because of her family.

“How many others feel the same way?”

The green-clad demon spirit’s gaze swept over the numerous figures in the hall, cold and piercing.

“Any dissatisfaction should be resolved today according to Jiu You’s rules—who will be first?”

According to Jiu You’s ghostly laws, subordinates can challenge their superiors.

If the subordinate wins, they replace the superior; if they lose, they die on the spot.

Despite the bloodshed, such iron-fisted rule allowed Mo Lin to quickly establish himself as the lord of demon spirits among millions and made Jiu You a force that the immortal families could not underestimate.

The twelve demon spirits all held their breath, their heads bowed, creating a deathly silence in the hall.

After a long while, Shan Xiu slowly stepped forward.

A petite ghost woman in the group let out a faint “oh.”

The red-haired demon spirit raised his eyes to glance at her and then lowered them with a look of indifference.

Shan Xiu, the fool, really stepped up as the instigator.

“If Master insists, Shan Xiu will die to prove his loyalty—”

The clinking sound of glass beads interrupted Shan Xiu’s passionate speech.

All the demon spirits turned their heads.

The person had not yet appeared, but a faint, elegant fragrance reached them first.

The art of incense was an exclusive pastime of the noble families, each with its unique formula.

It was said that the people of Yinshan used a precious incense called “Immortal Essence,” which was so costly that they burned carts of it every day, as if burning gold and silver.

The demon spirits of Jiu You, who had only recently filled their bellies, sneered at such luxurious items.

But when the figure behind the curtain appeared, the demon spirits suddenly felt—

That incense, regardless of its cost, was worth it.

Such unparalleled beauty deserved the best of everything.

“You understand loyalty unto death. You are not entirely without knowledge.”

The young woman’s clear voice was melodious, like jade chimes, and very pleasant to the ear.

Though her words were not quite as kind.

Accompanying Liuyu were a large number of maids.

Some held incense burners, others carried soft cushions. Before Liuyu even reached her seat, the maids had already replaced the previous items on the table with fresh, exquisite fruits and pastries, and laid down their own soft cushions.

Their silent and orderly conduct starkly contrasted with the rough and ready demon servants of Jiu You.

It was as if they made Jiu You’s people look like a bunch of amateurs.

Liuyu settled into the seat next to Mo Lin and looked around, her brows slightly moving.

All twelve Nuo gods of Jiu You were present.

Although Shan Xiu was the only one to step forward, the atmosphere and the way the others looked at her indicated that many of the remaining demon spirits shared his resentment.

In her previous life at this time, Liuyu hadn’t stayed long in the Palace of Eternal Night, having returned to Jilingtai early in the morning with her maids. She was completely unaware of this matter.

The informants she placed in the Palace of Eternal Night only reported that Shan Xiu was ineffective and was sent by Mo Lin to guard the borders near the Demon Spirit Great Wall, never to return to the capital. They did not know the specifics.

And Mo Lin…

Liuyu glanced at the green-clad demon spirit beside her.

He had never mentioned this matter to her.

Neither the discontent of the twelve Nuo gods nor the need for her to lower her stance and coexist peacefully with the demon spirits of Jiu You.

He had never uttered a word.

In her previous life, Liuyu would never have noticed such trivial matters.

It wasn’t that she was oblivious; she had always had countless people anticipating her needs, solving her problems, and clearing obstacles from her path so she never stumbled.

It wasn’t until she lost her family, who had protected her from all harm, that she realized how difficult the road could be.

And she realized that there had always been a demon spirit protecting her, one she had never paid attention to.

Liuyu withdrew her gaze, propped her chin in her hand, and looked towards the hall below:

“Whatever you were going to die saying, continue.”

Twelve demons cast her complex glances, with Shan Xiao giving her a look that could kill. The red-haired demon only gave Liuyu a cold glance before addressing Mo Lin at the head of the hall:

“Shan Xiao is one of the Twelve Nuo Gods. Even if the Lord wishes to punish him, please show him some respect and do not administer punishment in front of unrelated outsiders.”

How amusing.

Whether she wanted to be this Lord’s wife was one thing; whether these people acknowledged her identity was another.

Liuyu smiled, signaling to Chao Yuan and Chao Ming to remain calm.

“If I recall correctly…your name is Luzhu?”

The red-haired demon was visibly surprised that Liuyu knew his name.

“Yes.”

“Among the Twelve Nuo Gods, you are ranked first, and you are responsible for guarding the Jiyue Palace?”

Luzhu squinted, pulling his lips into a smile:

“That’s right, Miss Yinshan, do you have any advice?”

Such a friendly demeanor—could this difficult-to-serve young lady have changed her ways? Was she now thinking about smoothing relations between the two sides?

Does she even remember whose daughter she is? What a fool’s dream—

Liuyu turned her head and said to Mo Lin:

“Dismiss him.”

A light and breezy statement made the Twelve Nuo Gods in the hall lift their heads in unison, even Chao Yuan and Chao Ming beside her seemed a bit surprised.

Luzhu’s face changed drastically as he shouted:

“Dismiss me? For what reason!”

Who did she think she was? How dare she!

The vermilion lacquered cup held by the green-robed demon was suspended mid-air.

After a moment, he placed the cup on the table with a dull thud.

“Give me a reason.”

Liuyu could have stated her reason directly but paused just before explaining.

She said, “What if I don’t give a reason?”

Her every action in the Nine Netherworlds did not just represent herself but was a part of the power struggle between the noble clans of Da Chao and the Nine Netherworld demons.

Dismissing Luzhu on her first day of marriage would make everyone think this was Xian Du Yujing establishing dominance.

If she were Mo Lin, regardless of whether there was a legitimate reason, she wouldn’t let her person be brought down on this day.

Locking eyes with her, Mo Lin stared at her for a long time, his long brows furrowing deeply.

“…You are the Empress of the Nine Netherworlds, with the authority to dismiss the Twelve Nuo Gods.”

Mo Lin’s pale, brooding face betrayed no emotion as he withdrew his gaze from Liuyu, his tone cold:

“But if they defy you and challenge your authority, you will have to face the consequences. Think carefully about whether it’s worth dying in the Nine Netherworlds for such a small matter.”

His official tone suggested he was merely fulfilling his duty to inform her, devoid of personal feelings.

Yet, Chao Ming noticed a slight smile playing on their young lady’s lips, as if amused by something.

Chao Ming pondered.

Had something happened that they didn’t know about?

After the marriage, their young lady seemed to have undergone some…subtle changes.

Seeing Mo Lin actually acknowledged Liuyu’s authority as Empress, Luzhu could no longer bear it. Killing intent surged along with his demonic aura:

“Just married into the Nine Netherworlds and already meddling in our affairs, Yinshan Liuyu, do you really think the whole world bows to your noble clan—”

The sword hairpin slid from her black hair like frost from its sheath.

Before Luzhu could finish his sentence, the sword hairpin, glowing with golden light, transformed into a long sword of icy transparency, shattering the protective demonic aura around Luzhu and thrusting straight at his face!

Zheng—!

Luzhu stared at the sword tip an inch from his pupil, his body stiffening, a gulp slipping involuntarily down his throat.

The watching demons sighed inwardly.

As expected of Ling Yong’s youngest immortal, the one Yinshan had high hopes for, she could manifest her spiritual energy into form in an instant, leaving even the top-ranked Luzhu of the Twelve Nuo Gods unprepared.

“Yinshan Liuyu…you…”

“What did you call me?”

The sword tip inched closer, the young lady smiling sweetly, her face pure.

Luzhu hesitated between losing an eye and losing face, finally grinding out two words through clenched teeth:

“…Empress.”

Killing intent dissipated like spring water, returning to calm.

The young lady mused:

“Since you call me Empress, it wouldn’t be right not to give a little gift in return.”

Gift?

The demons hadn’t yet grasped the meaning when the sword hairpin flashed like flowing light. In the next moment, accompanied by the sound of skulls shattering, the green pearl maidservant in the group of attendants opened her eyes wide in disbelief and fell dead to the ground.

Everything happened in an instant.

The hall was deathly silent, faces filled with shock.

Until one of the Twelve Nuo Gods, a demon woman, exclaimed, pointing at the ground:

“—Look, it’s a puppet spider.”

From the shattered skull crawled a pitch-black, eight-legged spider, and the green pearl’s skin began to change—the maid wasn’t from Xian Du Yujing at all but a strange man!

But in Jiyue Palace, with its secure barriers and thorough inspections, how did this thing get in!?

The spiritual energy within the sword hairpin was exhausted, emitting cracking sounds.

Chao Ming produced a new jade hairpin from somewhere, pinning it into the young lady’s flowing black hair.

Ignoring the red-haired demon’s embarrassment, Liuyu sighed lightly and said:

“Your Jiyue Palace is leaking like a sieve, and you dare ask why I dismissed you? With an idiot like you guarding Jiyue Palace, how can I feel safe living here…”

She looked up to see the green-robed demon’s dark gaze fixed on her.

Liuyu blinked.

What, did he think she was too harsh on his subordinate?

But those deep green eyes stared at her for a long moment, and the first words he spoke were—

“Are you going to live in the Extreme Night Palace?”